Three-dimensional reality capturing of an environment by a surveying device and distributed processing with improved provision of a preview of a digital model of the environment

Abstract

Processing scan data provided by a 3D surveying device to provide a digital model of an environment, wherein the processing of the scan data is distributed among a group of processing participants by deriving a scan task to be currently executed by the 3D surveying device and deriving an associated model type of the digital model of the environment to be provided by the scan data. Minimal processing units of the processing of the scan data are determined to provide a display of a representation of a preview of the digital model in a way that it fulfils visualization criteria associated to the model type of the digital model. A prioritization algorithm is used for dynamically distributing the processing of the scan data among the processing participants, wherein the prioritization algorithm provides an optimization in terms of definition and distribution of the different processing assignments with a short time to provide the minimum processing units as a target value and with a currently available bandwidth and connection stability of a data exchange between the processing participants with one another, a currently available computing power on each of the processing participants, and remaining battery power on the 3D surveying device as input parameters.

1 . A method for providing a digital model of an environment based on scan data provided by a 3D surveying device, wherein the scan data provide spatial 3D information of the environment, particularly wherein the scan data are provided by an optical sensor, wherein the method comprises:
 distributing processing of the scan data among a group of processing participants comprising the 3D surveying device, a cloud processing unit, and a client device, and causing the processing participants to execute different processing steps to provide the digital model, and   displaying a representation of the digital model,   
       characterized by
 deriving a scan task to be currently executed by the 3D surveying device and an associated model type of the digital model to be provided, 
 associating the model type to visualization criteria for a display of a representation of a preview of the digital model, 
 deriving minimal processing units for processing the scan data to provide the display of the representation of the preview of the digital model in a way that it fulfils the visualization criteria, and 
 using a prioritization algorithm to dynamically distribute different processing assignments for processing the scan data among the processing participants, wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to provide an optimization in terms of definition and distribution of the different processing assignments with a short time to provide the minimum processing units as a target value and with a currently available bandwidth and connection stability of a data exchange between the processing participants with one another, a currently available computing power on each of the processing participants, and remaining battery power on the 3D surveying device as input parameters. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the scan task and/or the associated model type is/are derived by user input. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the scan task is determined by analyzing a motion state history and/or an operation history of the 3D surveying device to provide an estimate of a further motion state and/or operating condition of the 3D surveying device. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the associating of the model type to the visualization criteria comprises a selecting between
 visualization criteria providing a reachable quality of the display of the representation of the preview of the digital model on the basis of a currently available data quality of the scan data, and   visualization criteria providing a defined target quality of the display of the representation of the preview of the digital model, particularly wherein the defined target quality is a maximally reachable target quality in a defined time window.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the optimization comprises a long battery power on the 3D surveying device as further target value, and the prioritization algorithm is configured to provide an adjustment option to adjust a weighting of the target value relative to the further target value,
 wherein more weight on the further target value causes a reduction of local computation on the 3D surveying device.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the input parameters further comprise an internal temperature parameter of the 3D surveying device, particularly a heat gradient within the 3D surveying device determined each ten seconds,
 wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to take into account the internal temperature parameter to estimate the remaining battery power on the 3D surveying device.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising a deriving of a history of a battery life as a function of on-device computation load of at least one of the 3D surveying device and the client device, wherein the optimization takes into account the history of the battery life as a function of on-device computation load, particularly by means of a consensual decision rule. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising a deriving of a recommendation by the 3D surveying device with regard to definition and/or distribution of the different processing assignments, wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to take into account the recommendation by the 3D surveying device for providing the definition and distribution of the different processing assignments. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the recommendation by the 3D surveying device is triggered by a change in an operating condition of the 3D surveying device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising a deriving of a recommendation by the client device with regard to available processing by the client device, wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to take into account the recommendation by the client device for providing the definition and distribution of the different processing assignments, particularly wherein the recommendation by the client device is triggered by a change in an operating condition of the client device. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the deriving of the scan task and the associating of the model type to the visualization criteria are executed by a comparison of the scan data with a plurality of workflows stored on a workflow database, wherein each workflow is defined by a data format and/or an acquisition parameter of the scan data and a target format of the digital model. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein each workflow is associated with multiple fragmentation options to split the processing of the scan data into fragments to provide the target format of the digital model, wherein each fragment is associated with processing costs that provide information on computation requirements, processing time, power consumption, and data exchange needs, wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to carry out a comparison of the processing costs of the fragments with the currently available bandwidth and connection stability of the data exchange between the processing participants with one another, the currently available computing power on each of the processing participants, and the remaining battery power on the 3D surveying device and the client device, and to calculate a processing time to provide the minimal processing units with different permutations of the multiple fragmentation options. 
     
     
         13 . A surveying system, comprising:
 a 3D surveying device configured to provide the scan data of the step of distributing processing of the scan data among a group of processing participants according to  claim 1 , and   a cloud processing unit and a client device,   wherein the 3D surveying device, the cloud processing unit, and the client device are part of the group of processing participants of the step of distributing processing of the scan data among a group of processing participants according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises a user interface configured to provide an input functionality for a step of selecting. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises a user interface configured to provide an input functionality for providing a weighting change to be used by an adjustment option. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium, wherein the program code comprises a prioritization algorithm configured to provide definition of different processing assignments for processing scan data of a 3D surveying device and distribution of the different processing assignments among processing participants comprising the 3D surveying device, a cloud processing unit, and a client device, wherein the program code further comprises computer-executable instructions for performing:
 deriving a scan task to be currently executed by the 3D surveying device and an associated model type of a digital model of an environment to be provided by the scan data,   associating the model type to visualization criteria for a display of a representation of a preview of the digital model,   deriving minimal processing units for processing the scan data to provide the display of the representation of the preview of the digital model in a way that it fulfils the visualization criteria, and   using the prioritization algorithm to provide dynamic distribution of the different processing assignments among the processing participants,   wherein the prioritization algorithm is configured to provide an optimization in terms of definition and distribution of the different processing assignments with a short time to provide the minimum processing units as a target value and with a currently available bandwidth and connection stability of a data exchange between the processing participants with one another, a currently available computing power on each of the processing participants, and remaining battery power on the 3D surveying device as input parameters.